As circulation doctors, we know that arterial disease and vein disease are part of the same branch of medicine, known as vascular disease, which is defined as any condition that affects and impairs the circulatory system. Your arteries and your veins have different purposes within this system. Arteries carry oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood from the heart and lungs to other parts of the body, and veins carry the deoxygenated blood and waste materials back to the heart and lungs for renewal and recirculation. Diseases of both the arteries and the veins are serious, but some forms of vascular disease are more dangerous than others.

What do Secaucus residents need to know about vascular disease?

In terms of mortality and the likelihood of death, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) would have to be considered more dangerous than most vein diseases. PAD is caused by a buildup of plaque inside the arterial walls, narrowing them and blocking proper blood flow. Left untreated, PAD can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and poor circulation that can result in gangrene and amputation.

However, vein diseases such as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) also pose serious dangers. CVI weakens your overall circulatory system and your immune system, and left untreated DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism and stroke, both leading causes of death.

What makes the situation of treating vascular disease complicated is that some of the symptoms of PAD and vein diseases like CVI and DVT are similar. All of them can cause weakness, tiredness, and feelings of numbness in the legs, all of them can cause changes in the skin color of your legs, and all can cause sores to form that resist topical treatment and won’t heal. So it requires expertise in both arterial and venous disorders to determine which form of vascular disease you might have, and how to treat it most effectively.

Rely on vascular doctors who treat both arterial disease and vein disease

The Secaucus vascular doctors who staff Cross County Cardiology are experienced at diagnosing and treating both arterial disease and vein disease. They know how to detect subtle differences in symptoms that might indicate arterial disease more than they do vein disease. They use state-of-the-art diagnostic tools like ultrasound (to look beneath the skin to visualize blood flow) and the ankle-brachial index (blood pressure measurements taken at both the ankle and arm to detect differences) to diagnose both CVI and PAD. They may also use specialized tests like angiography and blood tests to check for arterial disease.

Whatever the diagnosis, these Secaucus circulation doctors also have the specialized training and expertise you need to treat these conditions and return you to a state of more normal circulatory health. Our cardiologists are specialists in the medications used to treat PAD, and in the specialized treatments such as angioplasty used to treat serious cases of arterial disease. At the same time, our vein doctors are equally experienced in sclerotherapy, endovenous laser treatment, and other forms of vein disease treatment. By choosing the best heart care specialists and vascular doctors in Secaucus, you get the best of both worlds, a team of professionals whose experience “covers all the bases” of vascular medicine.

How do I know if I have either PAD or vein disease?

The best way to be proactive about your vascular health is to get a complete checkup from your local and expert circulation doctors. Give us a call at 201-299-4479 and we’ll set up an appointment to determine the state of your vascular health – both veins and arteries – and then based on our findings we can make recommendations to keep you healthy. For more information about any of these subjects, you can also visit our website at: www.crosscountycardiology.com.

About Us

If you are looking for a heart specialist or vein doctor in Bergen or Hudson counties who will consider your individual needs, you now have a choice. Cross County Cardiology provides each patient with the comprehensive, individualized care that you need with an attitude of respect that you should always expect.